IDNO

P.170737.GIJ

Description

A seated clay sculpture in an unfinished Mbari house. The figure represents the tutelary female deity Ala. She has an elaborate mud headdress and coiled rod anklets, and carries a white staff in her right hand. A child is sitting on each of her thighs. They are wearing helmets with neckbands. The child on her right thigh is facing the camera and holds a short rod in his left hand. The child on her left is in side profile. [PB 12/03/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Owerri West; Umundoche town

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]

Named Person

Photographer

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Collector / Expedition

Date

1936

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.170715.GIJ - P.170801.GIJ were located in an Ilford paper box, now numbered C762/.

P.170734.GIJ - N.170746.GIJ were located in a paper folder, now numbered C762/2, and are a sequence of images of the same Mbari house.

Bibliographical Reference: G.I. Jones describes Mbari sculptures on pp. 82-92 and Mbari house architecture on p. 104 in Jones G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria. (Cambridge: CUP). [PB 05/03/2024]